The (pre-)breakfast club

On our first full day of classes, a week ago today, we discovered that the kitchen, which held all of our breakfast food, was closed until 8 am. The girls had been up since before 6am for physical education, and we needed to fill the hour before we could set out breakfast. The Algebra 2 girls bravely stepped up to the plate for a pre-breakfast class. In the chill of the dining room, we gathered around a table and started to tackle polynomials - a review for some, but essential to get all five students (Emily, Katie, Lucy, Tate, and Isabelle) on the same page. Fortified by trail mix and down coats, we started out class the way we always do: with a few warm-up problems. This warm up was then followed by questions, new material, and lots and lots of practice problems. Every class, we use this basic structure, building on material from the previous classes and developing students' logistical and problem-solving skills. With only the five students, each receives plenty of individual attention from me, both inside and outside of class. If questions arise during study hall, I meet with students individually to ensure that each fully comprehends the material. Math can sometimes be very intimidating to students, especially when taught in a traditional high school. By breaking each problem down into its component steps and practicing, practicing, practicing, it can become both a way for girls to feel empowered with a new, logical way of looking at the world and with their new-found math confidence. This process of empowerment is, I feel, just as important as the girls' mastery of the individual math concepts. I've been working to instill this philosophy in my students, and they have told me that they are enjoying math more and understanding the subjects better than in their traditional schools - an early success! This week we have covered addition, multiplication, and division of polynomials, and we should be moving into logarithms and exponential functions soon. I'm excited with how all five students are participating actively and showing their understanding, and can't wait to see their growth over the semester.
Algebraically,

Allegra